power head for soot cleaners



' Nov. 8, 1.932. F. c. AREY POWER HEAD FOR SCOT CLEANERS Filed Sept. 4. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Illl F. C. ARE! POWER HEAD FOR 500T CLEANERS Filed Sept. 4. 1930 Nov. 8, 1932.

Nov. 8, 1932. F. c. AREY POWER HEAD FOR SOOT CLEANERS Fil-ed Sept. 4. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F. c. ARE

POWER HEAD FOR $001 Filed Sept. 4,

Nov. 8,19%.

CLEANERS 1930, 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lllu Patented Nov. 8, 1932' UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE FRED C. AREY, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO VULCAN SOOT CLEANER COMPANY, f i F DU BOIS, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE rowan HEAD non soor CLEANERS Application filed September 4, 1930. Serial No. 479,646.

The present invention relates to soot cleaning means for boilers and has for its object to produce a simple and novel power head by means of which the tubular cleaning element is automatically turned step by step.

Mechanisms of this kind are subjected to high temperatures and, therefore, viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple, novel and rugged power head that will not be affected by relatively high temperatures and will therefore continue to operate efiiciently for' an indefinite length of time. 1/

In carrying out my invention I employ a steam engine as the power element and,

viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel steam engine.

A further object of the present invention is to produce a simple and novel automatic head whereby the proper turning movements of the cleaning element are eflected automatically by'the turning on of the steam to said element and cease when the steam is shut oif.

The various features of novelty my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the followin whereby the accompanying drawings, wherein: c

Figure 1 is a section through one of my improved devices on a plane. containing the long axis of the tubular cleaning element;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1, respectively; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5'5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isa section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of one-half of the sleeve or bushing the interior of which constitutes the valve chamber for the engine, and Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 ofFig. 1, but on a larger scale. 1

.Referring to the drawings, 1 represents any usual boiler setting or furnace wall; 2 the usual bushin therein; and 3 any usual or suitable tubu ar cleaning element extending g lies between and engages detailed description taken 1n connection with through the bushing. The outer end of the cleaning element extends through and fits rotatably in a wall of a hollow head 4. Steam is supplied to the head through a pipe 5 and flows rom the head directly into thecleaner element. Carried by and forming a art of the head is an engine whose base an cylinders may be 'in the form'ofa single block 6 bolted or otherwise secured to the hollow member 4. p

The engine has two cylinders 7 and 8 oppositely disposed and in alignment with each other; the long axis of the cylinders being at right angles to the long axis of the cleaning element. In the cylinders are two connected pistons 9 and 10, respectively. The pistons may be made as separate pieces rigidly secured together by a. strong bolt 11 and clamping between the same a member 12 that serves both as an actuator for the cleaning element and as an actuator for the engine valves to be hereinafter described.

I shall first describe the manner in which the cleaning element is actuated. Surrounding thecleaningelement and supported by the latter so as to be free to turn thereon is a. rocker arm 14. One end of the rocker arm lies bee side the engine cylinders and is'in the form of a fork 15. The actuater 12 has a. part 16 extending between the prongs of the fork and provided with an anti-frictlon roller 17 that with both prongs of the fork. Consequently, when the pistons are moved back and forth, the rocker arm is rocked or oscillated about the long axis of the cleaning element. Y On the rocker arm and cleaning element.

' are cooperating parts that will serve to give a step by step turninlg movement to the cleaning element when t e rocker arm is swun back and forth. To this end there is fixe upon the cleaning element, beside the rocker arm, a ratchet wheel 18, and the rocker arm is provided with a. suitable pawl or pawls in operative relation to the ratchet wheel. In the arrangement shown, there are two pawls 19 and 20, one of which will turn the ratchet wheel in one direction, whereas the other will turn the ratchet wheel in the opposite direction. This is a common construction, at}

leastin principle, for permitting the cleanor bushing 28. The material of the engine ing element to be turned first in one direction and then in the other, instead of bein continuously rotated in one direction. I it .be not be desired to reverse the direction of turning movement of the cleaning element only one pawl is required. In the particular arrangement shown, the two pawls are interlocked so that whenever one is brought into its idle position the other is moved into its working position. There may be a common actuating spring for the pawls as, for example, a spring 21 connected at one end to one of the pawls and at the other end to the other pawl. On the ratchet wheel are a pair of lugs or dogs 22 and 23 that may be shifted into any desired positions along the ratchet wheel. When the ratchet wheel is turned in the clockwise direction by the pawl 19, the lug or dog 22 gradually approaches this pawl and, finally, strikes an arm 24 on the latter and lifts the pawl into its idle position. When this occurs, the pawl 20 swings down into the working position. Then, while the rocker arm continues to 'oscillate,-the ratchet wheel will be turned in the counter-clockwise direction by the pawl 20 until the lug or dog 23 strikes the arm' 25 on the pawl,

causing the pawl 20 to be raised and the pawl 19 to be dropped back into its working position.

The engine block is provided with a long cylindrical bore 27 near the cylinders and parallel with the long axis of the latter. In order to facilitate the making of the various ports I press into the bore 27 a long sleeve block is cutaway between the middle portion of the bore 27 and the engine cylinder, and a corresponding section is cut out of the sleeve or bushing to provide an opening or window 29. Consequently, a finger or projection 30 on the actuator'l2 may extend into the interior of the sleeve or bushing through the opening or window in the latter. There are numerous ports or openings in each end portion of the sleeve or bushing. 'Since all of these ports or openings are symmetrically dis osed with respect to a plane extending at rig t angles to'the long axis of the sleeve or bushing midway between the ends, only one set need be described. One of the ports, 31, registers with a passage 32 formed in the en ine block or .casting and leading into the end of the corresponding cylinder behind the piston. Each cylinder has only this single pgrt or passage leading to'and fronithe same.

oorts 33 and 34 open out into a steam passage,

35 extendin through the casting beside the sleeve or'hus 'n for almost the entire length of the latter; he passage 35 communicates with the interior of the hollow head 4 through an inlet passage 36. Consequently, when steam is admitted to the head in order to supply the cleaner element, a portion of the steam flows through the passage 36 and into the passage 35 so as to flow through the ports 33 and 34 whenever the latter are open. In each set of ports in the sleeve or bushing there are also two ports 37 and 38 lying diametrically opposite each other toward the end of the sleeve 'or bushing. If the ports 31, 33 and 34 maybe said to lie in front of or at the back of the sleeve, the ports 37 and 38 maybe said to lie at the top and at the bottom. In each set of ports there is still another, indicated at 39 and which may be said to lie at the bottom or on the under side of the sleeve or bushing, and which is the port farthest removed from the corresponding end of the sleeve. The ports 38 and 39 register with a corresponding exhaust port or passage 40 formed in the engine block and leading to atmosphere or any suitable discharge point. The port 37 registers with a small pocket 41 formed in the block and extending to the corresponding end of the sleeve where there is located the last of the series of ports which may conveniently be in the form of a notch 42 cut into the extreme end of the sleeve.

Admission of steam to and its escape from the engine cylinders is controlled by a slide valve fitting into the sleeve or bushing and two valves, each controlling one set of ports in the sleeve or bushing; the two valves being rigidly connected by a neck or stem 44. As a matter of fact, the valve may be constructed from a cylindrical bar by simply cutting away sections to reduce it in diameter at various points. Viewed in this way, each end of the valve may be said to comprise sections of full diameter, 45, 46 and 47, spaced apart from, each other by sections reduced in diameter. Ateach end of the valve device as a whole there may be a small section 48 of reduced diameter to take the blows, if any, that are delivered by the valve device against the end walls{ of the valve chamber when the valve is moved back and forth; thus avoidingl the possible formation of a burr that woul cause the valve device to stick in the sleeve or bushing.

The operationof the engine will now be explained. 4 In the drawings the en ine is represented as beingon dead center, t e pistons being midway between the ends of their stroke. Assuming that the slide valve is in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5,it will be seen that steam from the passage 35 is entermg the valve chamber underneath the slide valve, as viewed in these figures, so that the valve is held in this position by steam pres sure. Steam also flows from the passage 35 sleeve or bushing as viewed in Fig. 4, through the valve chamber in the space between the enlarged sections 46 and 47 through the port 31 and from and through the port or passage 32 into the top of the cylinder 8; thus exert ing a downward pressure on the piston 10. At the same time any steam that there may be below the piston 9 will flow out through the corresponding -passage 32 and port 31 and into the valve chamber in the space between the lower enlarged sections 46 and 47 and, as will be seen from Fig. 5, through the corresponding port 39 and exhaust port 40. It will be seen that during this time the space in the valve chamber above the slide valve is connected to one of the main exhaust ports through the notch 42, the pocket 41 and ports 37 and 38.

As the pistons approach the end of their 25 downward stroke as viewed in Fig. 4, the

finger or'projection 30 on the actuator 12 strikes the lower enlarged section 47 of the slide valve, causing the slide valve to be moved downward. The steam below the slide valve will simply be pushed out through the corresponding port 33. As the slide valve moves down the upper large section 46 closes the corresponding port 34, thereby shutting oil the steam from above the piston 10; and the upper section 45 closes the ports 37 and 38. A further movement of the valve opens the upper port 33, permitting steam to enter the upper end of the valve chamber above the valve, thereby causing the downward movement of the valve to be completed through the action of the steam pressure. When the valve has been moved clear down, the upper port or passage 32 leading to the cylinder 8 is connected to the upper exhaust port or passage through the port 31, that portion of the valve chamber between the upper sections 46 and 47 of the valve, and the port 39, thereby exhausting the cylinder 8. Furthermore, when the valve is at the downward limit, the cylinder 7 is connected to the source of steam supply, so that the pistons immediately start back in the upward direction as viewed in Fig. 4. It will be seen that after the port 33 is closed during the downward movement of the. valve, the steam in the valve chamber below the valve can no, longer flow out through the port 33. However, the lower ports 37 and 38 have been uncovered by this time, so that the pocketed steam can flow out through the end port 42, into the pocket or chamber 41 and thence through the port 37, the valve chamber and the port 38 to the port. Therefore, at the end of the downward 165 stroke of the valve the conditions are just through the port 34 at the upper end of the with the corresponding exhaust the reverse from those shown in Figs. 4 and 5, excepting that the pistons are farther down. Consequently, the cycle that has just been described will be repeated, only that the pistons will be driven up, instead of down,

and will finally shift the valve again in the upward direction.

It will be understood that the valve remains stationary, being held in place by steam pressure, either above'or below it, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5, while the pistons are making almost ,a complete stroke; the valve being then moved through a short distance by means of the pistons; and the movement of the valve being then completed by the admission of steam into that end of the valve chamber which is behind the moving valve, regardless of the direction in which the valve is moving. The result is that the valve has a snap action from one working'position to the other whenever the pistons are near either end of a stroke, but remain stationary at other times.

Since the slide valve is always held by steam pressure in each of its extreme tions and is positively shifted, first by the pistons and then by steam pressure, toward the end of each stroke of the pistons, it'is not necessary that the long axes of the valve and pistons be horizontal but they may occupy any position that makes the mounting of the engine most convenient.

osip The pistons would reciprocate very rapidly if no means were provided to prevent it, and this would be highly undesirable. I have therefore associated with the pistons a dashpot device whose movable member is connected to the actuator 12. This dashpot device consists of a pair of small cylinders 50 and 51 parallel with and near the cylinders 7 and 8. In the cylinders 50 and 51 are plungers 52 and 53 lying on opposite sides of an upward extension 54 on the actuator 12 and secured thereto by a pin 55 extending through the same and the part 54. Each plunger has at its free end a cup washer 56 of leather or any. other suitable material. The ends of the dashpot cylinders are closed by extensions on the heads 57 and 58 of the main cylinders. Extending through the engine block, parallel dashpot cylinders is a bore or passage 59 connected at its ends with corresponding ends of the dashpot cylinders through suitable passages in the form of grooves 60 cut into the end faces of the cylinder block. The passages 59 and 60 place the interiors of the dashpot cylinders in communication with each other on opposite sides of the double plunger device, so that if these passages and the dashpot cylinders are filled with 'oil, as indicated at '3 an movement of the plungers is accompanie by a flow of oil inder 'to the other. be controlled in any arrangement shown,

there is a regulating that may conveniently be.

suitable way. In the screw 62 extending across the bore or passage 59 so as to restrict its effective cross-sectlonal area to any desired degree; the smaller this area, the slower will be the rate at which the oil can be transferred,-and therefore the greater will be the retarding effect on the movements of the main pistons.

It will be seen that there are no delicate parts or stufiing boxes in the engine, so that the engine is rugged and durable and requires no special attention when in use. Furthermore, the operation of the engine is not affected by the temperature to which it may be subjected due to its proximity to the boiler or furnace. I

It will therefore be seen that I have produced a simple and novel power head of rugged construction which will insure the proper turning of the cleaning element at all times while steam is being discharged from the latter, and which requires only the turning of a valve (not shown) to begin and stop the I cleaning operation.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form ofimy invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow head, a tubular cleaning element rotatable in said head and projecting therefrom at right angles thereto, mechanism surrounding said element, to turn the same and including a rocking member spaced apart from the head and projecting downwardly lengthwise of the head, an engine mounted on the head in the space between the head and the said rocking member and having a piston arranged to reciprocate in a direction transverse to, the axis of said cleaning element, and an actuator fixed to and extending laterally from the side of the piston into driving relation to said rocking member.

- 2. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow head, a tubular cleaning element rotatable in said head and projecting therefrom at right angles thereto, mechanism surrounding said element toturn the same and including a rocking member spaced apart from the head and projecting downwardly lengthwise of the head, said rocking member having a fork in its lower end, an engineineluding a reciprocable piston mounted on the head in the space between the head and said member, said piston being arranged to reciprocate in a direction at right anglesto the axis of said cleaning element, and an actuator for said member fixed to the iston. and extending. laterally from the si e thereof into engagement with said fork.

3. In an apparatus of the character de- 1,sse,515 A scribed, a vertically-elongated hollow head,

a tubular cleaning element rotatable in the upper end of said head and projecting therefrom at right angles thereto, mechanism surrounding said element to turn thesame and including a rocking member spaced apart from the head and projecting downwardly lengthwise of the head, an engine including a reciprocable piston mounted on the head between the head and said rocking member symmetrically with a vertical plane containing the axis of said cleaning element, said piston being arranged to reciprocate in a direction at right angles to said plane, and an actuator for said member fixed to the piston and extending laterally from the side thereof to said member.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specifica- 

